Common Vices
by 57terrier
Summary: Some time after the game. Yuffie gets kidnapped and Vincent contacts the old gang to find her.


Great game never completed it myself. All characters, lands and what not belong to the original creators.

This story takes place after the events of the first game. It's a kind of play on the optional characters: Vincent and Yuffie. I wrote it a while ago and got stuck. It's not really complete, but if someone would like to take it and put their own spin on it, they are welcome to as long as I get to read it.

* * *

Vincent looked out into the woods from under the overhang of rock. The rain dropped in sheets making it difficult for any normal person to see. But Vincent wasn't normal; he hadn't considered himself normal for a very long time. He sighed causing his partner to look up from wringing her hair. "See something," Tifa asked. Vincent shook his head. "How could Yuffie just vanish after that letter?"

_That letter._ He thought, _yes the letter inviting me to start a new life. How generous of the ex-thief._ He looked down and fingered the green materia the young woman gave him before leaving insisting he keep himself in one piece. The Slash-All materia had been very useful in his travels. He watched Tifa braided her long hair in hopes of keeping it out of her face. He remembered how curious both Cloud and she had been when he arrived and his own surprised to find a letter waiting for him. Reaching inside his cape he found the paper and closed his eyes. He had already memorized the words upon it so there was no need to really keep it except for physical proof that someone cared about him.

_-Vincent,_

_ Hey, how's it going V? I just came across the greatest luck. Across the sea from my hometown this woman named Ms. Smith is opening a boarding school and she was looking for teachers. So, I applied and got a job as a P.E. teacher and they have a class on materia that they want me to teach. Any who, back to the real reason I wrote. They still are looking for more teachers for like science and history that sort of thing and I was thinking since you know so much about practically everything you could teach a class. I said you might interest but you're welcome to say no. At least come and look around and meet Ms. Smith. She has a huge library._

_-Yuffie _

He had gone to the school later that week and accepted a position teaching biology. Ms. Smith was a highly optimistic person as well as intelligent. She had bright red hair and challenging green eyes. The night he had arrived at the school he learned that Yuffie had return home to gather her things and items she wanted for her classes. He joined the current faculty for dinner and engaged in several debates that he surprisingly enjoyed. The faculty paid little attention to his strange eyes and gold claw, which made him feel more human than he had in a long time.

A week passed with no word or sign from Yuffie. In that time, Vincent had talked Cid into using the Highwind as a ferry to move the students to and from their hometowns. In the middle of the second week, Yuffie's father called the school with some disturbing news, Yuffie's blue chocobo had only just arrived home but without Yuffie. Ms. Smith alerted Vincent immediately of the news. Vincent instantly took his black chocobo along the route he hoped Yuffie had taken. At a clearing on Wutia he found the remains of a campsite with all the signs that Yuffie had been there and left unwillingly. Her Conformer was imbedded in a nearby tree trunk. Her usually pack was unceremonious dumped near the fire pit. A cooking pot rested on the cold coals with an over-cooked meal still inside. Her arm guard must have been ripped off of her from the tattered straps. Lastly, the ground around a tree with rope tied to it was torn up. Yuffie had probably tied her choboco up for the night before she was attacked causing the chocobo to paw at the ground in its panic. _Strange, her conformer had some expensive and rare materia on it yet they left it behind. Why would someone kidnap Yuffie?_ Vincent had called all the members of Avalanche to help him. Thankfully they answered, even Reeve sent Rude and Elaine with Cat Sith. After a meeting at the boarding school, the group broke up into teams and went out searching several towns for any sign of her.

"So where do you think we should go?" Vincent started having forgotten where she was. "You ok, Vince?" Tifa asked.

"Yes, I'm just concerned. Something tells me this wasn't a random case of kidnapping."

"She did help us save the world," Tifa responded touching his shoulder.

Vincent stepped away and out into the rain. "Let's head for Kalm, you can ask the local population while I check around." Tifa made a sound of approval and fell in beside him. When they reached the town the downpour had receded into a mere drizzle. Vincent left Tifa at a local bar near the inn before wandering down the streets.

For hours Vincent walked searching for anything that might be a clue. _Nearly a month now since anyone saw her, what are the changes of finding her alive? Very slim,_ He thought grimly. The sound of scraping ahead of him sent him into battle mode the creature receded quickly into a blind alley. Vincent strolled cautiously forward with Death Penalty ready. There was something strangely familiar about how the creature moved. The sound of heavy, nervous breathing reached his ears. His eyes adjusted to the blackness of the alley. It was a dead end and the creature growled at him protecting a bit of meat it had found. "Drat," he hissed. It wasn't human, as he had hoped only a cat-like beast. Vincent narrowed his eyes to try for details. He gasped when his brain matched the creature image to another. _It can't be, he said he was the last._ The creature swallowed its find then pawed the ground nervously and laid its ears back. "Who are you?" he whispered hoping not to frighten it. The creature blinked at him before opening its mouth but then closed it and cringed. Its flame tipped tail twitched giving off some illumination. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said holstering his weapon. "I want to help, if you will let me." He stepped forward and realized his mistake instantly as the creature jumped backward before lunging at him. Vincent moved to dodge before he recognized the creature's bluff. It sped past him and continued to run without looking back.

Vincent stood slightly shaken from the sight and sound of its shackles and chains remembering his own experience with such things. _It was definitely a part of Red XIII species, but it was so terrible thin. An escapee from another lab that must be it. Oh god, how could I have made such a simply error?_ Vincent quickly left to find Tifa; hopefully she would have some good news.

* * *

Tifa waited anxiously for Vincent in the lobby at the inn. The rain had picked up again so there was no point in moving out. The patrons at the bar had actually been helpful. Many remembered strange things that had happened a few weeks ago: creatures appearing outside of town and later being captured by dangerous looking men. One man after a little alcoholic coaxing told her that he had been south of the town in the middle of the night when he could have sworn he heard the screaming of a female, a possible baby and what may have been a lion. He hadn't check fearing for his life. Other patrons had similar stories of frightening men and other creatures that screamed at night. Tifa tapped her boot on the floor refusing to sit down and soak any cushions. She owned her own bar and knew what an eyesore and expensive problem dealing with soaked furniture could be. The manager had smiled at her consideration and had a room prepared for them. She ground her teeth annoyed that she had wait to for yet another guy: first it was Cloud, then Barrett, then Cloud again and now Vincent. Finally, she left Vincent's description with the manager before hauling their Chocobo's packs up to their room.

Tifa sighed and reminded herself that Vincent was more of a night owl than she was and went to have the hot shower she felt she deserved after the long day. In the bathroom Tifa groaned as the mirror revealed what a horrible tangled mess her hair was. She was good at braiding other people's hair but she stunk at braiding her own. Quickly she tried to take it down and brush it out only being marginally successfully. "Maybe if I get water running through it these knots will get looser?" she thought turning on the shower knobs and stepping into the warm embrace of the mechanized waterfall.

When Vincent finally arrived he found Tifa sitting on one of the twin beds brushing out her hair. She smiled at him pointed to a small pile of clothing on the other bed. "You look two-thirds drown rat," she said lightly. "We can talk in a bit." Vincent nodded removing his cape and boots before taking the cloths into the bathroom. Tifa sighed as she heard the shower start up again. Vincent had draped his cape along the suitcase stand without seeing the hangers above. She quickly corrected it and turned his boots upside down to dry faster.

Vincent pointed to the series of alleys he had been through as Tifa leaned over and listened, "I saw a creature that looked a lot like Red XIII here. Unfortunately, I scared it so I don't know where it is."

"If it is one of Red's people, then it probably escaped from somewhere south. Which would explain why the people complained of a sudden increase in those men's activities." Vincent glanced at her and signaled for her to continue. "For the past several months, the people here have noticed these men. They just come in this truck to buy supplies and leave. Normally they go south of town but sometimes they've been seen headed elsewhere. Recently, they stayed after their purchases, normally four of them looking for something. No one knows what though."

Vincent sat back and absorbed Tifa's information. "I think, it's time to call everyone here, especially Red." Tifa nodded.

* * *

Cloud stretched as everyone filed in the Highwind's meeting room grumbling. Everyone yelled as Red shook himself out sending water everywhere. He merely looked around and settled himself by a wall. Elaine moaned wiping her ruined make-up before attacking her wet hair with a towel. Rude sighed, sitting Cat Sith on the table before removed his coat shaking it out. Barrett removed his grafted gun turning it, allowing the water to fall from it. Cid swore at everyone for not being considerate to his baby. Cat Sith looked at him and smiled, "I left my Mog outside by the crates. He was soaked through." Then the little robot cat walked across the table to Cid and very dramatically took off his cape and wrung it over the table.

"Why you little!!!!!" Cid screamed snatched at Cat Sith only snagging the cape. The robot squeaked and sprinted back to the Turks. "This is real wood too, you little…"

"Honey…" Shera called cutting off her husband's swearing. "We'll just wipe it up don't worry about it." She quickly sat a large tray of refreshments down before wiping up the offending puddle. "See, nothing to worry about." She kissed Cid's cheek and began passing out the teacups.

Cloud rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat. He glanced around surprised that everyone was now silent. "Tifa and Vince won't be back till tomorrow. They're in Kalm. So does anyone have any information that might help us find her?" Most shook they're heads.

"Her kidnappers left us no trail or clue to follow, Cloud. She didn't have enemies that we knew of. Unless of course you count all those people she stole materia from," Red pointed out. Cloud nodded.

"We checked Ms. Smith's background as well as the rest of the current faculty," Elaine said. "They all check out. The school's finances too." Rude nodded.

"Why the hell did you check that out?" Cid snapped puffing on his smoke.

"I asked them to," Cloud answered, "We couldn't simply assume they had nothing to do with Yuffie's disappearance seeing as they were the last ones to see her."

"So the school is a good one?" Barrett asked quietly. Rude nodded and shrugged.

"What was the point of asking that?" Cat Sith asked.

"Marlene needs to be going to a good school. There isn't any decent ones in Midgar," he huffed.

"Reeve is working on that."

"Gentlemen, can we get back on topic, please? Yuffie has been missing for nearly a month now. She could be hurt or perhaps even dead but until we see a body we shouldn't give up," Shera scowled. Cid padded her arm affectionately.

Cloud nodded and opened his mouth as his PHS went off. "Hello."

"Hey Cloud, it's Tifa. Vince and I think you should gather everyone and get to Kalm. Some weird things have been happening here."

"Like what?" Elaine asked.

"Well, the people here have been complaining about strange men and screaming in the night. It might lead to something. Also Vincent ran into one of Red's species…"

"What did she say?" Red demanded his ears up and eyes wide.

"There was a creature that looked a lot you here."

"Really, but I thought…"

"We all thought," Vincent's voice interrupted, "however it was Hojo that told us. We should have never believed him."

Red bobbed his head and hefted his front half onto the table. "So is it a girl or a guy? What is their name?"

"I don't know."

"But…"

"I frightened it, so it ran from me."

"How could you do that?" Red whined.

"Red, easy. I'm sure Vincent didn't mean to. And stop acting like Yuffie," Cloud said. Red laid his ears back sheepishly and glanced at the others who looked very surprised to see the normally calm and composed feline acting like a teenager.

"So unless you guys have picked up her trail I suggest we look for her here," Tifa suggested.

"I do care for Yuffie but I really would like to go to Kalm. Whether or not she is there."

"Kalm is so far from where the kidnapping took place. It just seems unlikely," Cloud whispered. He glanced up at Red who stared imploringly at him. "Alright Red you can join Tifa and Vincent in Kalm while the rest of us continue to search for Yuffie elsewhere."

* * *

Vincent walked down the streets after leaving Tifa and Red to do the same elsewhere. He sighed but remained alert, till his enhanced senses picked up a particular sound. Almost like a baby's cry. He was on the outer part of the town and at this time of night a baby should not be out. As he approached, he saw what he thought was a pile of rags move and tried to scurry away from him. "Wait," he quietly ordered. The figure squeaked and ran. Vincent groaned and checked his gun before chasing the figure. He was much faster than most humans and easily caught up. The figure darted into a dark alley as if to use the shadows as a shield. "I'm not…" Vincent pulled up short as the business end of a handgun was placed inches before his face.

The hand that held the weapon shook violently, covered in dirt and whatever else. The wrist bore the remains of a shackle with chain links trembling. The arm was thin with the skin clinging loosely to the flesh. The rest of the figure was buried underneath the rags as she clutched the baby to her, her green eyes staring at him slightly crazed. "I'm not going back and you're not taking the baby," the woman hissed dangerously.

"I swear, I don't want to take you or your child anywhere. I am looking for a young woman named Yuffie."

The green eyes widened in confusion, "Who… who are you?"

"My name is Vincent Valentine."

"Vincent…" she whispered oddly. She blinked at him and stepped closer lowering the gun.

"Is this that guy?" came a soft female voice. Vincent turned to see it was the feline again and nodded.

"Oh thank god. I was so scared V, so very scared" she whispered swaying, the gun dropped from her hand.

"Yuffie!" he said completely shocked. Yuffie swayed a little more before he realized she needed help. "What happened?" he asked wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and began sobbing.

"I was an experiment. We all were, V. Please don't let them find me and Lily, especially the baby."

"They won't and even if they did I wouldn't let them touch you." Vincent quickly slid an arm under her legs to carry her in a threshold carry. _So light._ "Tifa, Red and I have a room at the inn. Do you need a doctor?"

"No," she screamed beginning to struggle. "No doctors. No cold white rooms with a metal table complete with… straps."

"All right, no doctors. I'm sorry. I understand. I didn't realize… You are going to tell me what happened?" Vincent whispered heading back into town with Lily following close behind.

Yuffie looked at Vincent and nodded. The baby cried suddenly. "It's all right now. I'm going to be your momma, like I promised and those jerks will never hurt you again."

"Momma?" Vincent asked, but Yuffie apparently didn't hear as she snuggled closer to him and fell asleep. He headed for the inn with Lily sticking close.

"The baby was in a crystal," Lily answered. "The mother gave him to her. I don't know why."

"Crystal? Mother?"

"It was sitting in the main part of the lab. Never knew what it was. The men in the white coats never spoke to us."

Vincent nodded. "There's the inn. Come on quickly." He ran across the street and shoved the inn's door open. Without a word he climbed the stairs with Lily at his heels.

"Vincent, I didn't expect you back so soon… You found him, her. Oh my god. Who is that?" Tifa said closing the door behind them.

"This is Lily." Vincent nodded to her as he laid Yuffie on the bed. "And this is… what's left of our Yuffie."

"Oh dear god," Tifa whispered. "Is she dying? Should I get a…"

"No, she'll go a little crazy if she sees one of those," he warned. Vincent carefully lifted the child out of her arms. "Here, try and clean her baby up."

Tifa cradled the child, "She's a mom."

Vincent shook his head, "I'm not quite sure what is going on."

"All right, Lily, would you like to clean up a bit to? Red is going to arrive sooner or later."

"OK. Who's Red?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. He is another one of your kind," she explained heading into the bathroom.

"Really!" Lily exclaimed kicking the door shut.

Vincent carefully removed the layers of rags around Yuffie wincing at the multitude of injuries that were revealed. The dirt on her hands was accompanied by dried and caked blood. The shackles were easy to pick. He smiled at the evening he had spent trying to teach the ex-thief how the properly hid a lock pick on her. The frown returned when he saw the tender skin beneath, the skin cut and badly bruised. There were multiple lacerations on her palms down her arms and legs. It all seemed strangely familiar to him. Her shoes were gone the leg wrap was shredded and poorly wrap around one foot while a thread bare sock incased the other. Her shorts were gone and her tank would have been more useful as a dishtowel. Vincent threw the rags in the wastebasket and carefully wrapped Yuffie in a bed sheet till Tifa could help him tend to the injuries.

Moments later Tifa tore out of the bathroom white as the sheets. "What's wrong?" Vincent demanded.

Tifa grabbed his arm and drag him into the bathroom, "Tell me, I'm seeing things. Please tell I'm color-blind or something." There in the sink, splashing happily in the water was the baby boy. Now with his hair cleaned it was silver. The baby gurgled and looked at Vincent in wonder with aqua eyes.

"Lily, you said the baby was in a crystal, correct?"

"Yes, Yuffie said that the mother gave him to her to raise," Lily answered fumbling with the knobs to turn off the water.

"So, the planet's given Sephiroth another chance," Vincent nodded. "Tifa, why don't you help Lily dry off. I'm going to call Avalanche." He picked up the baby took him to Yuffie before pulling out his PHS and dialing.

Vincent rubbed his eyes as he set his PHS down. Rarely, did he have to be on the receiving end of a hysterical individual. Cloud started screaming the instant Vincent describe Yuffie's baby. "Tomorrow will be interesting," he sighed.

A bedspring creaked and he looked up to see Yuffie brushing the baby's silver hair aside before she looked at him. "Hey V, you have no idea how good it is to see you."

"I would have a better one if you told me what happened, but I can be patience. All of Avalanche has been out looking for you since we knew you were missing."

"Really?" she asked quietly. "Wow."

"Cloud is gathering them up and Cid will bring the Highwind as soon as possible."

"That's nice."

"Yuffie… is that Sephiroth?"

"Yes, but before Hojo had the chance to destroy him,"

Vincent nodded understanding her meaning from his own experience. "What exactly did the Mother say when she gave him to you?"

Yuffie blinked at him for a moment and stared at the boy, "His birth mother was not given the chance to be his mother. To show him all the joys that life could be. I had hoped that Lucrieca's and Vincent's love would be strong enough to keep the evil at bay till he was strong enough. I underestimated the scientist and Jenova. I choose you, little ninja; to raise him and make what was wrong in his first life right. Do your best for him, young mother." Yuffie's eyes shone with pride as the baby yawned and pulled at the blankets.

Vincent's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. He watched as Yuffie pulled the sheets around and tucked them to the infant. "Yuffie, are you sure you're up to this?"

"Probably not, but I'm willing to learn."

"Did the Mother mean that I was suppose to raise Sephiroth as my own son?"

Yuffie nodded.

Vincent stared at them for a moment and walked to the window. "I need to think about this. You should get some more sleep. Tifa is helping Lily right now, she'll want to get some bandages on you soon."

Yuffie grunted an affirmative sound and Vincent heard the bed shift some more before he was sure she had fallen asleep.

Vincent stood at the window thinking till he heard deliberate scratching on the door. _Red XIII_. He picked up Death Penalty anyway in case it was the people Yuffie seemed so afraid of. He opened the door in cautious Turk style.

"Vincent, why are you pointing that at me?" Red asked surprised.

"Come in, I'll explain," he answered checking the hall.

Red trotted passed and gasped at Yuffie's exposed back, "Is that Yuffie? And what the hell happen to her back?"

"Yes and I don't know," Vincent answered as he locked the door. "We found Lily and a baby with her."

"Who's Lily?"

"That would be this lovely lady," Tifa answered stepping out of the bathroom drying her hands as Lily stayed inside staring at Red.

"Hello…" Red began as he got an eyeful and lost the use of his voice. Lily was a pretty example of her species, even in poor health. Her fur was a deep rose color that darkened to red at her legs and face. Tifa had managed to remove her shackles and replace them with clean white bandages. Many of the other cuts were carefully hidden behind her fur. Tifa smiled and shrugged when she caught Vincent's arched eyebrow. Vincent shook his head and returned to Yuffie's side. Red cleared his throat and stepped forward, "I am Nanaki son of Seto. I am pleased to meet you, Lily."

Lily turned her head to the side as if blushing; her tail twitched as she lightly pawed the ground. "My father told me stories about yours," she whispered.

Red smiled and puffed his chest out proudly, "Would you like to come out of there and have something to eat?" Lily nodded and happily followed him to the packs.

"Red, our dinner's already on the table," Tifa said paying more attention to Yuffie at the moment.

"Is she going to be all right?" Lily asked finally tearing her eyes off Red.

Tifa nodded, "We have excellent cure spells if necessary."

"Tifa," whispered a gorgy voice, Yuffie stirred rolled onto her back. "Hi… have you gotten the ring yet or is Cloud still in need of some coaxing."

Tifa giggled and shook her head, "Yuffie, you are still so bad? You know that?"

Yuffie smiled but some of her spirit had definitely been damaged. "Always."

"Would you like to eat first or get cleaned up?"

"We haven't had anything that I would even feed a rat, but I do feel disgusting in these clean sheets."

"Here put this on and take a shower you will feel better," Vincent said offering his cape. Yuffie stared at it surprised. Vincent sighed and wrapped it around her bare shoulders.

"He's right can't have you walking around in a bed sheet."


End file.
